Brandy & Cognac

BRANDY [Bran.Dee]

Noun, plural bran·dies: A spirit distilled from wine or the fermented juice of grapes or apples, peaches, plums, etc.

COGNAC [Kohn.yak]

Noun: Cognac is the brandy distilled in & shipped from the legally delimited area surrounding the town of Cognac in western-central France.

HOW IT STARTED

It goes without saying that brandy traces its routes to the Dutch word brandewijn, meaning “burnt wine”. Back in the 12th century, the Dutch utilizing a newly indoctrinated form of distillation, would distil wine in the hopes of preserving it for the long journey it took in the company of the merchants responsible for its transportation abroad.

HOW IT'S GOING

For too many people, Brandy has a reputation as a spirit enjoyed by a more mature crowd. Picture an older man in a plush wingback leather armchair, next to a roaring fire with a cigar between his lips – he has a glass of brandy in his hand, right? That’s a very outdated stereotype, though. These days, brandy is enjoyed across the board and, of course, distinguished silver-haired gents with suits & cigars.

SO WHAT IS COGNAC?

“Cognac is to brandy what Champagne is to sparkling wine.” It simply means that the particular brandy known as Cognac is “made in a specific region of France following specific rules to guarantee its quality.” The Cognac region is in western France, north of Bordeaux, with one border on the Atlantic Ocean coast.